CE-122

Civil Engineering Materials

and Concrete Technology
Course Duration: One Semester
Credit Units: 03 Credit Hrs. (Contact Hrs. 03)
Level: 2nd Semester (1st Year)
Medium of Instruction: English
Prerequisites: Not Applicable

Dr. Fasih Ahmed Khan

Lecturer, UET,
Peshawar, (Jalozai
Campus)

University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Jalozai Campus

Fine and Coarse Aggregate 2

1. Definition and Introduction of Aggregates

2. Mechanical properties of aggregates

3. Physical properties of aggregates

4. Importance and methods of grading of aggregates

 Aggregates 3

Aggregates are inert materials mixed

with binding materials like cement
or lime in the preparation of mortar
or concrete.

Granular material of mineral

composition such as sand, gravel,
shale, slag or crushed stone.
 Natural Aggregates

• All natural aggregate particles originally

formed a part of a larger parent mass.
• Many properties of the aggregates
depend entirely on the properties of the
parent rock. E.g., chemical and mineral
composition, petrological character,
specific gravity etc..
• Some properties are possessed by the
aggregates but absent in the parent rock:
particle shape and size, surface texture,
and absorption.

4
 Significance

• Aggregates generally occupy 70

to 80% of the volume of concrete
• Aggregates have an important
influence on the properties of
concrete and provide
dimensional stability to concrete
• Sand, gravel and crushed stone
are all considered to be
aggregates.
• More simply, aggregates include
grains or fragments of rock.
Open Pit Quarry
 4

Aggregates Classification
• Inert materials mixed with a
binding material (cement,
lime) for preparation of
mortar or concrete.
• Depending on the particle
size, aggregates are
classified as
• Fine aggregates: 0.15 mm to
4.75 mm. sand, crushed stone,
ash
• Coarse aggregates: 4.75 mm to
7.5 cm. (Retained in ASTM
sieve No 4)
Uses of Aggregates 7

1. Filler material

2. Dimensional Stability:

a) Shrinkage,

b) Thermal changes

3. Strength and Stiffness

4. Economy

5. To make the concrete denser

 Aggregates Types
• Most natural mineral aggregates
have density in the range of 95 -
100 lb/ft3 producing normal-
weight concrete of 150 lb/ft3 unit
weight
• Aggregate with a bulk density
of less than 70 lb/ft3 is called
lightweight aggregate
• Aggregate with a bulk density
of more than 130 lb/ft3 is
called heavyweight aggregate
 6

Aggregates Classification

• Depending upon their

nature aggregates
may classified as:-
• Natural Aggregates
• Crushed Aggregates Weathered Crushed
• Weathered materials
• Artificial Aggregates
• Light weight aggregates
• High density
Aggregates Shale
Expanded Clay
 7

Aggregates Classification
• Aggregates made from thermally processed ‘expanded
clay’ and ‘shale’ are called synthetic aggregates and are
lightweight
• Aggregates made from industrial by-products such as; blast-
furnace slag, and fly ash, also fall in the category of synthetic
aggregates
• Municipal waste and construction & demolition waste
(recycled concrete) are also used as aggregate in fresh
concrete.
 8

Natural Aggregates
• Gravel
• Crushed Rock
• Carbonate Rock (mostly Limestone)
• Sandstone
• Granite
• Diorite
• Gabbro
• Basalt
• Natural silica sand is predominately used as fine aggregate
 9

Rock Description
• Igneous • "Earth’s crust consists of 95%
• Formed by cooling of magma
igneous and 5% sedimentary rocks"
(molten rock matter)
• Sedimentary
• Stratified rocks that are usually
laid down under water but are,
at times, accumulated by wind
and glacial action
• Metamorphic
• Are igneous or sedimentary
rocks that have changed their
original texture, crystal structure,
or mineralogical composition
 10

Light Weight Aggregates

• The light weight of the aggregate is due to the cellular

or highly porous microstructure

• Natural lightweight aggregates are made by crushing

igneous volcanic rocks such as pumice, scoria etc.

• Synthetic lightweight aggregates are

manufactured by thermal treatment of a variety of
materials, for instance, clays, shale, slate, diatomite,
pearlite, vermiculite, blast-furnace slag, and fly ash
 Light Weight Aggregates 14

• Pumice • Foamed Slag

• Diatomite • Artificial Cinder
• Scoria • Expanded Clay
• Volcanic Cinder • Expanded Shale
and Slates
Natural • Saw Dust
Artificial • Exfoliated
• Rice Husk Vermiculite
• Expanded Perlite
 12

Light Weight Aggregates

Light WeightAggregates - Natural
Pumice Diatomite
• Hydrated Amorphous Silica
• Volcanic Origin
• Obtained from aquatic plant remains
• Strong and light
• Average density of 450 kg/CM
• Light Coloured
• Used as Workability agent
• Even Texture
• Good Pozzolanic material
• Oldest Material
• May be sintered to artificial
• Used after washing
aggregate
• Can be sintered to fusion temperature to
obtain additional strength
Saw Dust
Scoria • Used in flooring and precast
• Volcanic origin
productd
• Usually, dark coloured
• Affects adversely setting and hardening
• Irregular and unconnected cells of cement due to soluble Tannins and
• Weaker than Pumice carbohydrates
• Soft wood saw dust may be effective
Rice Husk with addition of lime
• Used to make concrete for special
purposes • Shrinkage and moisture movement are

• Husk from groundnut bagasse also used high

Light WeightAggregates - Natural

Vermiculite

Perlite Pumice Scoria Diatomite 17

 Pulverized Fuel Aggregate
By product of pulverized bituminous
coal used to fire up furnace and kiln
• It is ground and then mixed with
Light Weight Aggregates - Artificial 10% fine coal
• Pellets formed and then subjected
to 1100 C
Foamed Slag

• Blast furnace slag at 1350 C Expanded Clay Aggregate

combines with steam to produce • Clay pallets are fed into kiln at 650
cellular structure. C and once they start expanding,
they are removed and frozen
• At completion of foaming, slag
is removed and crushed to • Requires careful controlling of
form light weight aggregates. temperature as the range is 25 C

Expanded Shale Aggregate

Expanded Blast furnace Slag
• Beyond 1400 C the molten • Hard rock is fed into three stage
blast furnace slag is separated kiln of pre-heating, expander
on an inclined vibrating plate and cooling.
where running cold water is • Firing temperature is kept to
injected 1150 C and gases released cause
• Gas bubbles are formed shale to expand
in body of slag • Finished product is grinded
 Heavy Weight Aggregates
• Heavy weight concretes weigh from 2900 to 6100 kg/m3 (180
to 380 lb/ft3) and are primarily used for making nuclear
radiation shields.
• Natural rocks suitable for heavy-weight aggregate consist
predominately of two barium minerals, several iron ores,
and a titanium ore
• Synthetic product called ferrophosphorus slag can also be
used as heavy-weight aggregate
• The tendency of aggregate to segregate in a concrete mixture
increases with the density of the aggregate.
 20

Heavy Weight Aggregates

Composition and Densities of various Heavy Weight Aggregates
 22

Blast Furnace Slag Aggregate

• Slow cooling of blast-furnace slag in ladles, pits,
or iron molds yields a product that can be
crushed and graded to obtain dense and strong
particles suitable for use as concrete aggregate.
• The properties of the aggregate vary with the
composition and rate of cooling of slag.
• Acid slags generally produce a denser aggregate,
and basic slags tend to produce a vesicular or
honeycombed structure with a lower apparent
specific gravity
 23

Fly Ash Aggregate

Flyash consists essentially of small spherical particles

of aluminosilicate glass, which is produced by
combustion of pulverized coal.
• Fly ash is pelletized and then sintered in a rotary
kiln, shaft kiln, or a traveling grate at
temperatures in the range 1000 to 1200°C.
 24

Recycled Aggregate

Rubble from
demolished concrete
buildings and
pavements

A major obstacle in the way of using building rubble as

aggregate for concrete is the cost of crushing, grading, dust
control, and separation of undesirable constituents
 25

Recycled Aggregate
Comparison of un-contaminated Recycled Aggregate with Original
 Weight Examples of Aggregates Used Uses for the Concrete

can be sawed or nailed, also used

vermiculite, ceramic, diatomite, pumice,
ultra-lightweight scoria, perlite,
for its insulating properties (250 to
1450 kg/m3).

used primarily for making

expanded clay, shale or slate, crushed lightweight concrete for structures,
lightweight brick also used for its insulating
properties (1350 to 1850 kg/m3).

crushed limestone, sand, river gravel,

normal weight used for normal concrete projects
crushed recycled concrete

25
used for making high density
barlite, magnetite , steel or iron shot; steel
heavyweight or iron pellets
concrete for shielding against
nuclear radiation
 Lightweight Aggregates 26

Expanded clay Expanded shale Crushed Brick

 27
Normal weight Aggregates

River gravel Crushed Limestone Crushed Concrete

Heavyweight Aggregates

Magnetite Magnetite-sand
 Constituents in naturally
occurring Aggregates:
 Naturally occurring concrete aggregates are a mixture of rocks and minerals
 Minerals
 Silica (ex. Quartz)
 Silicates (ex. Clay)
 Carbonate (ex. Calcite, dolomite)
 Igneous rocks
 Granite
 Basalt
 Sedimentary rocks
 Sandstone
 Limestone
 Shale
 Metamorphic rocks
 Marble
 slate
Ranges of particle sizes found in
aggregates for use in concrete
Harmful material in aggregates
 Cracking of concrete from alkali
silica reactivity

Alkali-Silica Reaction is a
reaction between the active
mineral constituents of
some aggregates and the
sodium and potassium
alkali hydroxides and
calcium hydroxide in the
concrete.
• Alkali-Silica Reaction
(ASR)
• Alkali-Carbonate
Reaction (ACR )
 33

Tests on
Aggregates
 Grading of aggregates
• Grading is the distribution of particles of a granular
material among various size ranges, usually expressed in
terms of cumulative percentage larger or smaller than each
of a series of sizes of sieve openings, or the percentage
between certain range of sieve openings.
• ASTM C-33 grading requirements for coarse and fine
aggregates
• There are several reasons for specifying grading limits and
maximum aggregate size; the most important is their
influence on workability and cost.
• Different grading ranges has been specified for
economical design.
 28

Maximum Size of Aggregate

• The maximum size of aggregate is conventionally
designated by the sieve size on which 15 percent or more
particles are retained.
• Larger the maximum aggregate size, the smaller will be the
surface area per unit volume which has to be covered by the
cement paste of a given water-cement ratio.
• Price of cement may be 10 to 15 times as much as the price
of aggregate, so any action that saves cement without
reducing the strength and workability of concrete can result
in significant economic benefit
 29

Maximum Size of Aggregate

• Find the surface

area for 3 cases
of cubes
1” 1/2” 1/4”

6 in2 12 in2 24 in2

 30

Maximum Size of Aggregate

• Maximum size of an aggregate is the smallest
sieve that all of a particular aggregate must pass
through.
• Nominal maximum size of an aggregate is the
smallest sieve size through which the major
portion of the aggregate must pass.
• The nominal maximum-size sieve may retain 5%
to 15% of the aggregate depending on the size
number.
 31

Maximum Size of
Aggregate

• Amount of cement
required decreases as the
maximum size of coarse
aggregate increases
 32

Maximum Size of Aggregate

• The maximum size of aggregate particles generally

should not exceed:
• One-fifth the narrowest dimension of a concrete member
• Three-quarters the clear spacing between reinforcing bars
and between the reinforcing bars and forms
• One-third the depth of slabs
 33

Sieve Gradation -Fine

 34

Sieve Analysis
• Grading is the particle size
distribution of an aggregate as
determined by a sieve analysis.
 35

Grading Curves

• Grading charts are often used to show the results of a

sieve analysis graphically.
• The percent passing is usually plotted on the vertical
axis, while the sieve sizes are plotted on the horizontal
axis.
• Upper and lower limits specified for the allowable
percentage of material passing each sieve may also be
included on the grading chart
 36

Typical Grading Curves

 37

Grading of Aggregates
Aggregates that do not have
large deficiency orexcess of any
particular size produce most
workable and economical
concrete mixtures.
• The effect of aggregate packing
with particles of varying sizes is
demonstrated
• Low void contents are achieved
by using smoothly graded
coarse aggregates with suitable
proportions of graded sand Void content is decreased
 38

Grading of Aggregates

• Plots below show test results in which as low as 21 percent void content was
obtained when 40 percent sand was mixed with a well-graded, 4.75 to 37 mm (No. 4
to 1-1/2) gravel.
 39

Grading of Aggregate

• If there is not enough fine aggregate to fill the

voids between coarse aggregate particles, the space
must be filled with cement paste.
• Such under-sanded mixtures also tend to be harsh
and difficult to finish.
• On the other hand, aggregate combinations
with excessive amounts of fine aggregate or
excessively fine sands may produce uneconomical
concretes because of the larger surface area of finer
particles, which requires additional cement
 40

Typical Grading Curves

Knowing gradation, it
will be possible to mix
them up to conform to
any 4 grading curves
Finest

Coarsest

µm mm

Source :Road Research laboratory (UK)

 41

Combined Grading

• Aggregate is sometimes analyzed using the combined

grading of fine and coarse aggregate together, as they
exist in a concrete mixture.
• This provides a more thorough analysis of how the
aggregates will perform in concrete.
• Sometimes mid-sized aggregate, around the 9.5 mm (3⁄8
in.) size, is lacking in an aggregate supply, resulting in a
concrete with high shrinkage properties, high water
demand, poor workability, poor pumpability, and poor
placeability.
• Strength and durability may also be affected.
 42

Combined Grading – Ideal

Grading
 43

Gap Grading
• In gap-graded aggregates certain particle sizes are
intentionally omitted.
• For cast-in-place concrete, typical gap-graded aggregates
consist of only one size of coarse aggregate with all the
particles of fine aggregate able to pass through the voids
in the compacted coarse aggregate
• Gap-graded mixes are used in architectural concrete to
obtain uniform textures in exposed-aggregate finishes
• They can also used in normal structural concrete because
of possible improvements in some concrete properties,
and to permit the use of local aggregate gradations
 44

Fine Aggregates
• Particle size 4.75 mm to 0.15 mm
• Sand – small grains of silica from weathering
disintegration of rocks
• Pit or quarry sand – sharp and angular grains found as
deposits in soil. Free from organic matter and clay and
is of good quality
• River sand – banks and beds of rivers. Needs washing
to get rid of clay
• Sea sand – fine rounded brown grains at sea beaches.
Contains salts so needs washing
 45

Fine Aggregates – Req as per

ASTM
• The fine aggregate must not have more than 45% retained
between any two consecutive standard sieves.
• The fineness modulus must be not less than 2.3 nor more
than 3.1
 46

Fine Aggregates

• Crushed stone – waste stone crushed to sand

particle size gives excellent fine aggregate
• Ash or Cinder – fine nodules from steam
locomotives and furnaces. Cheap and strong
black mortar obtained with lime
• Surkhi – well ground, powdered broken brick
used as fine aggregate in lime mortar.
 47

Good Sand Qualities

• Coarse and angular grains of pure silica

• Hard, strong and durable grains
• Free from silt, clay and salts that may hamper
setting or attack reinforcement
• Free from organic matter
• Well graded – suitable proportions of various
particle sizes
• Free from hygroscopic moisture
 48

Fine Aggregates - Sand

• Functions of sand in mortar

• Additive to increase volume of mortar
• Reduces shrinkage and cracking of mortar
• Helps pure lime to set by allowing air
penetration providing carbon dioxide for
carbonization and setting of lime
 49

Fineness Modulus (F.M.)

• An empirical factor called the fineness modulus
is often used as an index of the fineness of
aggregate.
• The fineness modulus is computed from screen
analysis data by adding the cumulative
percentages of aggregate retained on each of a
specified series of sieves, and dividing the sum
by 100.
• Higher the fineness modulus, the coarser the
aggregate.
 50

Fine Aggregate – Fineness

modulus
 51

Fine Aggregate – Fineness modulus

CombinedAggregate – Fineness
modulus
 53

Combined Aggregate – Fineness

• modulus
Calculate the percent passing the 9.5 mm (3/8 in.) sieve
of the combined blended aggregates.
 54

Combined Aggregate
Fineness modulus

F.M = 560/100 = 5.6

 55

Fineness modulus
• Following guidelines can be used for selection of sand:

• F.M more than 3.2 will be unsuitable for making

satisfactory concrete
 56

Fine Aggregates - Sand

• Sand tests
• Rub a little sand between fingers. Clay impurities will
leave stains on fingers
• Salts may found out by tasting by tongue
• Vigorously shake sand sample in water and let it settle.
Clay or silt present will settle on top of sand
• Stir sample of sand in 3% solution of caustic soda and
let it stay sealed for 24 hrs. organic matter will turn the
liquid color to brown
• Function of surkhi – an adultrant which imparts
strength and hydraulic properties to mortar
 57

Coarse Aggregates
• Size from 4.75 mm to 7.5 mm
• Stone ballast – quarried granite, sandstone and
limestone broken and sieved to required size.
Should be free from organic matter. Stone should
not be soft, laminated. Excess clay washed off.
• Gravel or shingle – obtained from river beds,
quarries or sea shores. Hard and durable. Clay
and salts should be washed off.
 58

Coarse Aggregates
• Brick ballast – broken brick used where natural
aggregate is expensive or not available. Well burnt
good bricks are used. Should be free from dust.
Used where lower strength is required. Ballast
thoroughly saturated before use in concrete.
• Breeze and clinker – by products of coal burning
provides cheap and light aggregate for internal
concrete blocks and non load bearing partition
walls. Not good for RCC because of excessive
sulphur which corrodes steel. Used for internal
concrete blocks and partitions not carrying loads
 59

Coarse Aggregates – Req by ASTM

Particle Shape and Surface
Texture 67

• The shape and surface texture affect the

properties of fresh concrete more than the
properties of hardened concrete.

• Rough-texture, and angular particles require

more water to produce workable concrete
than do smooth, rounded and compact
particles. For both crushed or noncrushed
aggregate, proper gradation gives the same
strength for the same cement factor.
Bulk Density (ASTM C 29) 68

• Defined as the weight of the aggregate

particles that would fill a unit volume. The
term bulk is used since the volume is occupied
by both the aggregates and voids. The typical
bulk density used in making normal concrete
ranges from 1200 to 1750 kg/m3.

• The void contents range between 30% to 45%

for coarse aggregate and 40% to 50% for fine
aggregate. Void content increases with
angularity and decreases with well graded
aggregate.
Relative Density (Specific
Gravity) 69

 The relative density of an aggregate (ASTM C 127 and

C 128) is defined as the ratio of its mass to the mass
of an equal volume of water. It is used in certain
computations for mixture proportioning and control.
Most natural aggregates have relative densities
between 2.4 and 2.9 (2400 and 2900 kg/ m3).

 The density of aggregate used in mixture

proportioning computations (not including the voids
between particles) is determined by multiplying the
relative density of the aggregate times the density of
water (1000 kg/m3).
Absorption and Surface Moisture 70

• The absorption and surface moisture of

aggregates should be determined using ASTM C
70, C 127, C 128, and C 566 so that the total
water content of the concrete can be
controlled and the batch weights determined.
The moisture conditions of aggregates are:
• Oven dry
• Air dry
• Saturated surface dry (SSD)
• Damp or wet
Moisture conditions of aggregate 71
Fire Resistance and Thermal
Properties 72

• The fire resistance and thermal properties of

concrete depend on the mineral constituents
of the aggregates. Lightweight aggregates are
more fire resistance than normal weight
aggregates due to their insulation properties.

• Concrete containing calcareous coarse

aggregates performs better under fire
exposure than siliceous aggregate (granite or
quartz).
End of Lecture No. 3 73
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